PAST
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THEO'S POV
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"Dove is annoying! Like a caterpillar," Gregg said, and the group burst into laughter.
Dove wasn't annoying. She just had this way of saying exactly what was on her mind, no filter at all. Sometimes too open.
"Not as much as Ellieee," Angela teased, drawing out the name with a grin. Gregg nudged her toward me, laughing.
"Stop foul-mouthing like girls" Gregg said.
"Were you praising Dove then babygirl??" Angela shot back, mock-offended.
The guys laughed again, voices overlapping each other in that easy morning rhythm. I laughed too, automatically.
Not wholeheartedly.
My eyes drifted toward the gate without me even realising. It was almost the time Melina usually walked in. She always came around now.
But she wasn't there.
Maybe… she won't come today.
"What's up, Theo? Why do you keep looking at the gate?" Damon asked, raising a brow and following my gaze.
"Are you waiting for someone?" His tone carried that teasing hint, and the others picked it up immediately. Their eyes shifted toward me, curious, like they'd caught a scent.
"Melina," someone said, and my head snapped toward the gate instinctively.
Empty.
"Melina keeps notes perfectly," Damon said, and that smug look on his face told me he was the one who dropped her name on purpose—just to see my reaction.
"How do you know that? And My notes are mostly blank. I could borrow Melina's " Gregg muttered as I tilted my head toward Gregg. I might've glared a little, because Damon elbowed me with a quiet, "Stop glaring."
"Theo's mom's food tastes amazing, guys," Damon suddenly announced, switching the topic out of nowhere. Everyone looked at him, confused by the sudden shift.
His mom loves me more," Angela said, smirking at everyone like she'd just won some invisible contest.
What is even happening with them? One second it's Dove, then Ellie, now my mom. Why do they keep hopping from one topic to another like a bunch of chaotic birds?
I frowned slightly, my attention drifting away from their chatter as my eyes naturally wandered toward the gate.
And that's when it clicked. It's not that they keep skipping topics—it's me.
I'm not fully here with them. I'm only catching pieces of the conversation in between my own thoughts, and the rest just fades into background noise.
Angela's elbows rested on my knee, casual and familiar, since I was sitting on the bike while she stood beside me. She was still going back and forth with Damon and Gregg, their voices loud, overlapping, full of energy. I laughed along at the right moments, but my mind was elsewhere—somewhere closer to that gate, waiting for a glimpse of Melina.
"Keep dreaming. I'm the favorite," Damon shot back, acting ready to fight.
"Grown boy, by the way," Gregg muttered, and everyone broke into laughter again. Me too
I laughed, not because of Gregg's line, but because it reminded me of How mom said to me :
"Bring that Melina girl home since Father isn't here. I like her." with her eyes beaming.
I smiled again at the memory.
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Melina's look from that morning, when I was hanging out with the guys, stuck with me. It kept slipping into my thoughts at random moments—when I was busy, and even more when I wasn't. Whatever I did, her face just showed up in my head without warning.
Did I mess up somewhere? That thought kept coming back, quietly but often.
Maybe she hated the way I'd gone near her house that day. Maybe barging into her room—without her permission—made me look like someone who didn't value boundaries.
The thought alone made heat crawl up my neck.
Did I look like someone who didn't respect consent?
Or worse… like a stalker?
My hands were shoved in my pockets as I walked toward the washroom, lost in my head. Steps heavy, distracted.
Then suddenly—
"We need to talk about something very important."
I flinched. Stopped mid-step.
Melina stood right in front of me, appearing out of nowhere.
Her voice replayed itself in my head in slow motion.
Need to talk about something important.
I knew exactly what this was about.
My visits to her home. My presence there.
I didn't want to hear the words "Stop coming to my house" from her mouth. I didn't want to hear rejection straight from her lips.
"I'm busy," I muttered, looking away quickly. Her eyes darkened. I didn't even need to look at her to feel it. My words had come out too cold.
"W-well… it's very important. Just this. Please."
She was practically pleading.
And that hurt more than I wanted to admit.
But I couldn't let her say it. I didn't want to stand there and hear it.
"Later, Melina. I'm busy,"
I said, forcing myself to move, heading toward the washroom before her voice could break something inside me.
Her tone shifted as she called out, soft and stuttering, and it shook me.
The way she asked. The way her voice trembled just a little.
The way her gaze burned against the side of my face while I deliberately avoided it.
Inside the washroom, I gripped the sides of the basin and stared at my reflection.
> You're an asshole, Theodore.
My reflection didn't argue back.
Within a second, I spun around and headed back down the corridor, faster this time. Her voice echoed in my head like a bell I couldn't unhear.
But when I reached the spot where we'd bumped into each other, she was gone.
I scanned the area, checked her usual places. Eventually, I spotted her in her classroom, with Zara and Dove.
Melina's back faced me as she talked to them. Dove noticed me first. Her eyes flicked to the window, and she gave a small wave. I waved back, but my attention stayed glued on Melina.
She turned when Dove gestured, but before she could catch sight of me, I stepped out of view.
I turned and walked away, hands in my pockets again.
> Later. I'll ask her myself later.
I muttered it to the version of her that lived inside my head.
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MELINA'S POV
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I've wondered before if Theo's acting the way he does because I did something wrong.
Or because his interest in me has expired.
Now I know. It's the second.
He can't even spare me a glance anymore.
I'm that. Beyond expired.
Decayed.
Students say Theodore is bad news. Even his sister used to say that. Theodore breaks girls' hearts. He has done it before.
How can I be associated with someone so lacking in feelings.
I'd told myself I'd cut ties after telling him about Zara. That would be the end. Clean.
But he doesn't even look my way. Doesn't even give me a chance.
"Are you listening, Mel?" Zara asked.
I stared down at my book. Words blurred. My head was a whirlpool of Theo, Theo, Theo.
Dove suddenly "Oh!"ed and waved toward the window. I turned, startled. But there was no one there.
"Who was it?" Zara asked, curious.
"That was Theo," Dove said, turning back to us.
"Probably looking for Angela!!" Zara laughed. Dove laughed with Zara with a glint of teasing .
I smiled with them, tight lipped. That Smile alone took everything in me not to crumble right there.
"So, complete what you were saying, Zara," Dove urged, her curiosity sparking again.
Complete? I had no idea what the start of the talk even was. My mind had wandered too far.
"Yes. So what I was saying… Theo's anger issues. Theo has tried to attack Father quite a lot of times," Zara whispered.
" Mom always have to stop him from acting on impulse "
"Bro. He deserves it, considering how he makes your mom's life a hell," Dove whispered back.
The words hit me like a slap.
Anger issues.
Tried to attack.
Theo.
"You don't know, Dove… our life was more messed up before this," Zara said, her tone falling low. "And what after Theo attacked him? Go to the streets? Theo getting some job which pays poorly or staying unemployed? Refusing him a future with stable earning ? Then what?"
Her eyes turned red as tears pooled in the corners.
"Yeah… now that I really think about it… doing anything to the stepfather is equal to pushing Theo, Zara, and their mom to the streets," Dove muttered softly.
"Mom's weak. Physically. I don't want to see her working her blood, sweat, and tears for us. Our studies would be on hold. Entire future in ashes," Zara whispered, her voice shaking slightly.
Then she glanced at me. That silent look that said everything.
> Don't tell anyone.
And it made sense. It all made sense.
Theo wouldn't stay still if he heard about Zara. He'd act. He always acts.
.
For the first time, I could actually see the aftermath clearly. If I told him, he wouldn't stop at words. He'd attack. Or worse… he might actually unalive the stepfather.
And that would drag everything down with him. His entire future—gone. If I opened my mouth about Zara, I'd be the one pulling the thread that unravels everything.
Zara will hate me.
Their mom will hate me.
Theo… Theo's life would turn to ashes.
But if I stay quiet, Zara's safety is at risk.
I'm stuck in the middle, forced to choose between Theo's future… or Zara's safety.
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